The Treadmill Lurkers

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JennaM222
JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
The Treadmill Lurker

You all know what I am talking about. Lurkers. It is that Oh so lovely time of the year when the Gym is packed. No matter what time of the day, morning or night, packed. Cardio Queens, couch potatoes, grandmas in their spandex, New Year’s resoloutioners, soon to be spring breakers, etc.etc.

So I am at my gym last night ( LA FITNESS ) and I hop on the elliptical to do my usual 30 minute pre-work out before I hope on the treadmill. As I am bouncing along lip singing to the dirty rap blasting from my iPod ( it gets me motivated and has great beats for the elliptical lol ) I notice every cardio machine in use. I then notice the lurkers. People walking up and down, trying to act natural, as they check out peoples work outs/times to see if they may be finished soon. I notice one lurker in particular who was literally walking around the cardio machines for 10 minutes.

Soooo as I hit my goal burn of 300 cals I notice a girl cleaning of her treadmill….Horray! Perfect timing. I hope off my machine and place my Ipod and water on the treadmill that just opened up and head over to get some towels and spray to clean off the elliptical I was on. While I was by the paper towels I notice the lurker got on the treadmill where my stuff was and proceeded with his work out. I cleaned my machine off and walked over to the treadmill.

ME: Hi, sorry, But I was using that machine.

LURKER: No you weren’t, you were on the elliptical.

ME: Yes, I was on the elliptical, and I put my stuff here to use this treadmill.

LURKER: (points to sign on wall that says 20 minute limit to cardio machines when busy) “see!?!?!?!?”

Long story short, he got off, found another, and I finished my work out. What a tool. I don’t like this time at the gym, at all.
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Replies

  • dinacav
    dinacav Posts: 12
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    Personally, I think people should stick to the time limits. My gym is always overcrowded and it's frustrating when people don't follow the rules and you have to become a "lurker" just to work out.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    The gym is always packed during the frist two months of the year... it sucks! I love my normal workout routine, but I always have an extra routins incase it's busy....

    No worries, come March things will calm down and be back to normal...
  • sallyLunn
    sallyLunn Posts: 381
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    This is a no fun time of year at the gym, I agree. In 6 weeks it will be back to normal or better anyway.

    Yesterday I was telling my daughter that I could point to the people who would still be coming to the gym in March because they were the ones coming in November and December.

    To all you happy new people reading this. No flaming me.

    I congratulate everyone who has made a decision to take control of their physical well being and applaud their efforts.
  • lynzyn
    lynzyn Posts: 119 Member
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    that is why i have my own home gym equipped with a small stepping machine, weights an exercise ball and exercise bands...I used to go to the gym like 4 days a week for several years, always after the holidays it gets packed and i hated it....Now it is just getting a little expensive for my liking, so for xmas i asked for weights, a ball and exercise band and was given a stepping machine, so i am on my way to a mini gym at home....Good luck with the newbies at the gym u can do itttttttttttttt
  • faithjobes
    faithjobes Posts: 104 Member
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    Personally, I think people should stick to the time limits. My gym is always overcrowded and it's frustrating when people don't follow the rules and you have to become a "lurker" just to work out.

    Only a 20 minute time limit??? That is dumb! I need at least 30! My gyms time limit is 30 per machine
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
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    I built a gym in my home. No lurkers. No jockeying for next in line. Free Weights, Cable machines, elliptical, recumbent bike, big screen tv/dvd player for musical motivation. Which reminds me, I better go in there and dust tonight.
  • faithjobes
    faithjobes Posts: 104 Member
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    20 minutes is not enough and you had your stuff there!!! I would have done the same thing!
  • megteg
    megteg Posts: 97 Member
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    Sounds like a problem of just being considerate to your fellow gym-mates and having some backup routines to do while you wait. If all the machines are taken, warm up and stretch on your own for a while, or if someone has left their stuff on a machine, wait till they come back to ask if they are finished using it. When gyms are packed it just makes it worse to be inconsiderate.

    Unless of course that frustration gives you the motivation to work out harder ;)
  • angelapuckett
    angelapuckett Posts: 6
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    HAHAHA :D I joined the gym about six months ago but once the holidays hit, I didn't have time (or motivation) to go. Now that the holidays are passed, I started back today and yes it was crowded. I felt like such a loser too. No, my weight loss plan has nothing to do with New Years Resolutions and next time I'm going to get a tshirt that says that. lol

    That guy sounds like a total douche but try to have patience with the rest of us newbies! and yeah, I consider myself a newbie because I'm definitely not a 'regular' yet. ;-)

    Have A Good Day!:flowerforyou:
  • ginnyroxx
    ginnyroxx Posts: 763
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    I work out at LA Fitness, too. This past week has sucked mucho w/ all the new peeps (although i'm glad people are trying to be healthy). I use the treadmill 3 times a week and of course, they've all been full.

    in every local LA Fitness I've been to this week, we've created a line. first one in line gets the next available.

    If i saw someone jump from one machine onto another just bc it was open...especially when i know they've seen me waiting forever (10 min is forever in ferret time) i'd be hella pissed.
  • runningneo122
    runningneo122 Posts: 6,962 Member
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    Definitely prefer treadmill at home. My run and walk/cooldown right now is 70 minutes. And that's a 4.4 mile run @ 6.0. Once I reach 7 miles it'll be close to two hours total w/ cooldown. The convenience as well as ability to run at 5AM is awesome. Make a protein powder drink, shower and eat b/fast for a great energy boost for the day. Great mood lifter also... I love endorphins. Next is a bowflex revolution.
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
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    There's an argument to be made for both sides, but rules are rules. Unfortunately, when you don't write the rules to the game, you have only two options..Play or Not Play.
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    I work out at LA Fitness, too. This past week has sucked mucho w/ all the new peeps (although i'm glad people are trying to be healthy). I use the treadmill 3 times a week and of course, they've all been full.

    in every local LA Fitness I've been to this week, we've created a line. first one in line gets the next available.

    If i saw someone jump from one machine onto another just bc it was open...especially when i know they've seen me waiting forever (10 min is forever in ferret time) i'd be hella pissed.

    I should have been more spcific. There were ( apparently to this guy ) Less desirable treadmills to use, he was waiting for a certain one. Sorry pal, the gym right now is a dog eat dog eat world! :)
  • chatal36
    chatal36 Posts: 167 Member
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    i thought i was the only on who lip sings to dirty rap songs on the elliptical.. Sometimes i dance too !!
  • ginnyroxx
    ginnyroxx Posts: 763
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    I work out at LA Fitness, too. This past week has sucked mucho w/ all the new peeps (although i'm glad people are trying to be healthy). I use the treadmill 3 times a week and of course, they've all been full.

    in every local LA Fitness I've been to this week, we've created a line. first one in line gets the next available.

    If i saw someone jump from one machine onto another just bc it was open...especially when i know they've seen me waiting forever (10 min is forever in ferret time) i'd be hella pissed.

    I should have been more spcific. There were ( apparently to this guy ) Less desirable treadmills to use, he was waiting for a certain one. Sorry pal, the gym right now is a dog eat dog eat world! :)
    oh yeah...then he's just assed out :laugh:
    at the gyms around here...even the sucky ones are taken.
  • binary_jester
    binary_jester Posts: 3,311 Member
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    i thought i was the only on who lip sings to dirty rap songs on the elliptical.. Sometimes i dance too !!
    Aww crap. I thought the cute girl on the treadmill mouthing she wanted to do me was serious. sad2.gif
  • ginnyroxx
    ginnyroxx Posts: 763
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    i thought i was the only on who lip sings to dirty rap songs on the elliptical.. Sometimes i dance too !!
    Aww crap. I thought the cute girl on the treadmill mouthing she wanted to do me was serious. sad2.gif

    *SMACK*
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
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    I've been TOTALLY avoiding the evening at my gym and heading over in the afternoon or using my treadmill at home. Also, for some reason no one really takes advantage of the pool and we love it! Sometimes we are the only ones in there and that hasn't changed since the new year!!!
  • Sparksfly
    Sparksfly Posts: 470 Member
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    I agree that everyone should stick to the time limit rules for cardio equipment (if it's busy).

    My friend actually got really pissed at a girl who had been running for over an hour on the treadmill during primetime. They had a few words, it was quite funny. The girl running had been on the machine for more than double the time allowed and she was looking at my friend like she was the one with the problem.

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